Jayalalithaa slams Centre for LPG hike

"The middle-class people are already burdened with rising food prices. Now they can't afford to pay more on cooking gas," said Jayalalithaa.

"There must be a rollback immediately," she said.

The price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG), which a customer purchases after consuming their quota of subsidised cylinders, was hiked by Rs. 220 per bottle on Wednesday.

The 14.2-kg cooking gas cylinder that consumers buy beyond their quota, which is of nine bottles at subsidised rates, will now cost Rs. 1,241, up from Rs. 1,021 in Delhi, the Indian Oil Corporation said.

The same cylinder will be available in other metros at the price of: Rs.1,270 in Kolkata, Rs.1,264.50 in Mumbai and Rs.1,234.00 in Chennai, the company said.

This is the third increase in non-subsidised LPG rates in the past month.